FG Targets 29 Million Children in Malaria Prevention Drive Across 21 States

The Federal Government has finalised plans to implement Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) across 21 eligible states as part of efforts to reduce malaria-related deaths among children under five.

The initiative will cover all 19 Northern states, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and Oyo State, with preventive malaria medicines set to reach about 29 million children, making it one of the largest child-focused malaria prevention campaigns on the African continent.

The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziak Adekunle Salako, disclosed this in Abuja during the commemoration of the 2026 World Malaria Day.

According to him, the large-scale intervention reflects the government’s determination to protect the most vulnerable population groups, particularly young children who remain at the highest risk of severe malaria infection.

In addition to the chemoprevention programme, the government, with support from development partners, will expand access to Insecticide-Treated Mosquito Nets (ITNs) in 11 states that have not benefited from a net distribution campaign in over seven years.

The affected states include Akwa Ibom, Kebbi, Borno, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Abia, Kogi, Osun, Kwara, Adamawa, and the FCT.

Salako revealed that more than 500 million ITNs have been distributed across Nigeria since 2015, describing the intervention as one of the most effective methods of protecting families, especially children and pregnant women, from malaria infection.

He noted that continuous distribution of treated mosquito nets had significantly improved household access and usage, while routine distribution through antenatal clinics and immunisation programmes had expanded population coverage and reduced malaria transmission in high-burden areas.

The minister also said the government was exploring new strategies in malaria control, including plans to pilot Larval Source Management (LSM) for the first time in six states.

The pilot scheme, according to him, has advanced significantly and will be implemented in Abia, Borno, Ekiti, Lagos, Ondo, and Rivers states.

He said the introduction of LSM would strengthen Nigeria’s malaria prevention efforts by targeting mosquito breeding sites and reducing the spread of the disease at source.

The government reaffirmed its commitment to intensifying malaria control interventions as part of broader efforts to reduce the country’s heavy malaria burden and improve public health outcomes nationwide.